Amidst the Remains: All That Remains One Shots
by SkyleafAlchemist19
Summary: A series of one shots, missing scenes, and alternate universe scenarios for my All That Remains Universe. Chapter One: Friend, ATR AU.
1. Friend

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings.**

 **A/N: A while ago I said I would be doing one shots/missing scenes/AUs for All That Remains and The Shadow War. Well, here's the first one at last! This is an Alternate Universe What If idea, so you don't have to worry about spoilers for ATR this chapter. At the top of each one shot I will put if there are spoilers for ATR and what chapter you should have read up to in ATR in order to understand what is going on. With that being said, I hope you enjoy it.**

 **LOTRLOTRLOTR**

 **Title: Friend**

 **Universe: ATR, AU. **

**Spoilers for ATR/TSW: None. Legolas's mom dies in so many stories that I don't consider that a spoiler. XD**

 **Chapter you should read up to before reading this: None.**

 **Warning: Kinda sad towards the end.**

 **Summary: After getting lost in the shadowy gloom of Mirkwood, Kili finds help from an unexpected guide.**

 **Friend**

Kili, son of Dis, nephew of the great and powerful Thorin Oakenshield... was lost. Not that he would ever admit it, even to himself. He was not lost, he was merely... sightseeing. Yes, that was it. He was just wandering around looking at the terrifying trees and dark shadows that looked like they wanted to kill him. Kili was a great dwarf warrior, he would never get lost in a place that elves had no trouble getting through...

Except he had. One moment, the dwarf had been following Bilbo and the rest of the Company through Mirkwood, the next he was by himself, surrounded by fog and wondering where his companions had gone. He had been wandering around ever since. The brown-haired dwarf could not see the sky through the menacing canopy above, but based on how much his feet hurt and his stomach ached, it had been a good many hours since he had lost his way.

Kili halted abruptly, peering at a tree that had an odd, crooked branch that looked like a triangle. He pointed at it, emitting a sound of disgust. "I've passed you before, haven't I?" The dwarf paused, then scowled. "Wonderful. Now I'm shouting at trees. I'm going to be mad by the time I find Thorin and the others!"

 _If you ever find them_ , a pessimistic voice whispered in his mind. _This forest is a maze. You'll never get out of here._

Kili ignored the voice, gritting his teeth as he strode forward once more. The already deep shadows were lengthening further, signifying that night was finally coming upon the land. The dwarf's pace slowed as his eyesight slowly failed him, barely able to see a foot ahead of him. His foot caught on a root and he fell forward with a yell, the ground vanishing from beneath him. Kili felt a surge of panic as he tumbled down— A cliff? A ravine?— only to land five feet below where he had fallen. The dwarf breathed sharply, relieved that the fall had not been worse, and rose unsteadily to his feet again. He quickly checked his bow for damage, relaxing when he found none.

He hid his alarm behind anger, glowering in the general direction of the root. "Stupid tree! Why I ought to come up there and throttle you, you useless piece of bark!"

Kili continued to rant at the tree, not caring about how insane he was acting, until a giggle made his stop mid-shout. The brown-haired dwarf turned, blinking rapidly as a soft light entered his vision. Soon his eyesight cleared, to see a small glowing child standing in front of him. The dwarf blinked again, reached out, and poked the child to ensure he was not another apparition. His hand met a pale cheek, and the child giggled again.

Kili quickly withdrew his hand, blushing. "Er, sorry about that. I thought you were a hallucination."

The child's head tipped and pale blonde hair shifted, revealing a subtly pointed ear. Despite himself, Kili twitched. The child— _elfling_ — observed him innocently, ignorant to his sudden wariness. The dwarf forced himself to relax, silently berating himself.

 _Don't let Thorin's old prejudices affect you, Kili. He may be an elf, but he's still a child. He had nothing to do with what happened at Erebor._

The elfling inched closer, wide eyes still on Kili, and reached out. Again, Kili tensed, unwilling to move as the little one stretched out a hand and...

...poked his nose.

Kili gawped, then smiled sheepishly. "All right. Maybe I deserved that. But now we're even, right?"

The elfling laughed and ran around the dwarf, chattering rapidly in Elvish. The warrior could not understand a word that he was saying and eventually tuned him out, thoughts turning inward. How had an elf-child ended up out in the middle of the forest? Unless Kili had ended up close to an elven settlement, the little elfling had to be lost. Were his parents looking for him?

Watching as the elfling grew interested in everything on Kili from his feet to his hair, the dwarf felt a twinge of nervousness. He remembered a warning Dis had once given him and Fili about bear cubs, and how one should leave them alone unless they wanted to experience the wrath of an enraged mother bear. It would be just Kili's luck that the elfing's parents would find him with the dwarf, and assume he kidnapped him or something.

"Elfling." Kili tried to gain the little one's attention as he played with his hair, apparently attempting to braid it. "Elfling!" Silver-blue eyes focused on him. "Yes, I'm talking to you. Where's your parents?" No response. Apparently the child really did not know Westron. "Your mommy?" Blank expression. "Daddy?" Nothing. Kili wracked his brain, trying to remember the word the elves in Rivendell had used for their parents. He remembered the elven twins calling their father something... "Um... Adur? Ata? Adar?"

The elfling brightened. "Ada Ada Ada!"

"Er, yes." Kili said, relieved they had gotten somewhere. "Where's your Ada?"

"Ada!" the elfling repeated, grabbing Kili's hand and tugging at it insistently. "Aphad enni, mellon! Aphad enni!"

 _Did he just call me 'melon'?_ Kili thought. "My name is Kili." he told the elfling. "Kil-ee."

"Mellon." the elfling said simply, pulling at his arm again.

The dwarf resisted for a moment, his worry about his people's secret mission and his duty to help the lost child warring against each other. Eventually, the kinder part of him won, and he let himself be dragged after the elfling.

The elfling was apparently less lost than he was, and they soon found themselves in a much brighter part of the forest. With each step, Kili's sense of dread grew, until his stomach felt like it was being twisted into knots. When a bridge with two elven guards came into view, Kili almost bolted, but one look at the elfling's silver-blue eyes made him pause.

 _I cannot leave him until I know he's home, the dwarf thought. Maybe the elves will be fine with a dwarf showing up at their home._

"Halt! Come no closer!"

 _...Or not._

The guards approached, eyes fixated on Kili, but their steps faltered when they spotted his young companion. The elfling waved, giggling and said something in Elvish. The guards immediately stepped back, and the child once again tugged at his unwilling travel companion. As he passed the guards, Kili swore that he saw tears running down one's cheek.

They made their way through the stone caverns and halls, Kili slowly realizing that this was no normal elven settlement. There were guards and other elves everywhere, and each one had the strangest reaction to the odd pair in their midst. Many would notice Kili, see the elfling, then freeze. Others would approach aggressively but back away once they spotted the child. In the end, none stopped them, not even the guards outside a pair of great doors. In fact, they merely opened them and stepped aside.

A single elf sat at the end of the _throne room_ , and Kili did not need to have met him to know who the elf was. He tried to back away before _Thranduil_ saw him, but the elfling refused to let go. Instead he gave a cry of "Ada!" and Kili's heart nearly stopped.

Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, looked up, expression ranging from anger— directed at Kili— to shock— at the elfing— before settling on veiled curiosity— surprisingly directed at Kili. The Elvenking rose to his full regal height, striding forward and looking down at the two in his halls, barely contained emotion on his face.

"Legolas," he said in careful Westron, voice oddly strained. "Who is this?"

"Mellon! Friend!" the elfling— Legolas— chirped, also in Westron.

Kili gave him a subtle glare. "Oh, so you _could_ understand me!"

Then he paused, realizing what the elfling had just said and found himself smiling softly at the little one's proclamation. He looked up thoughtfully, blanching when he got a clear view of Thranduil's glowing blue eyes. Based on the Elvenking's neutral expression, he could be thinking about anything from throwing Kili a welcoming party to wondering if his hounds would eat dwarf.

"How did you find Legolas, dwarf?" Thranduil asked coolly.

Kili wanted to snap at him for his tone, but Legolas was playing with his hair again, and the dwarf found he could not find offense at the Elvenking's condescension. "We ran into each other, actually. I was traveling with a group—" The warrior snapped his mouth shut, cursing himself as he realized he had revealed his companions' presence in the elves' territory.

Thranduil smirked. "I have already found and captured your companions, dwarf. The hobbit that was trying to free them as well. Soon you will join them in—"

" _Noooooooooooooo!_ " Legolas interrupted with a wail, grabbing Kili and burying his face in the dwarf's tunic. "Friend!"

Kili and Thranduil both stared at the elfling in bewilderment. Then the Elvenking wilted, his cold mask shattering to reveal something much sadder and broken hiding within.

"I suppose that you want me to release your 'friend's' friends, don't you?" he asked softly.

Legolas nodded firmly, before turning and poking Kili on the nose again. "Mellon."

Kili smiled and poked him back. "Mellon."

LOTRLOTRLOTR

Thorin was predictably suspicious when the elves released him and his kind, offering to guide them through the forest without any price. Fili and the others were just relieved that Kili was all right, so relieved in fact that they did not seem to notice the tiny elfling that was practically glued to the dwarf's side. Legolas did not seem to mind however, content to try to braid Kili's hair as he went with the Company and elven guards that were leading them out of the forest.

The younger dwarf prince was glad for the distractions the elfling created, because the other elves gave him the oddest looks throughout the journey, staring at him as if they had never seen something like him before. Kili frowned, slightly self-conscious, and wondered if it was his lack of beard and pretty face that was drawing their attention.

Soon enough they reached the edge of the forest, and Kili was stunned to see that the sun was high in the sky. It had never been night at all, and once again the dwarf shivered at the strangeness of Mirkwood.

"Thank you for your assistance." Thorin stiffly told the elves.

The silver-haired, blue eyed leader of the group nodded, showing none of the animosity he might be feeling. "Do not be mistaken. If it were not for Legolas, you would still be in those cells, dwarf."

The soon-to-be King Under the Mountain grunted, anger and mistrust still in his gaze. From behind Kili, the elfling giggled, seemingly amused by the dwarf's grumpy expression. Thorin and the Company— even Bilbo— ignored him, walking quickly out of the forest without looking back. Frowning at their rudeness, Kili turned to Legolas, ruffling his hair.

"Since Thorin's being a grump, I'll just say thank you for him, little one."

The silver-haired elf, who had been walking away, paused and turned around, kneeling beside the dwarf. He glanced at Legolas, hesitated, then spoke in a low voice. "Though I hold no love for dwarves, I must tell you that the Dwarf King is not knowingly being unkind. Your friends simply... cannot see Legolas."

Kili looked at him uncomprehendingly, then frowned, hand resting on the elfling's head. "What are you talking about? Are you joking with me?"

"No." the elf whispered, looking directly at the dwarf with deep sorrow in his eyes. "Only the elves of Mirkwood can see him. And you, of course."

The dwarf grew increasingly uncomfortable under the elf's pained gaze. "W-What do you...?"

The silver-haired elf reached out, touching Legolas's cheek gently, and the elfling batted at his hand gripping the fingers and wrapping his own around as many as he could. He could not quite hold all five, causing his brow to furrow in discontent.

"Legolas is my little brother," the elf whispered. "He died more than four hundred years ago in an orc attack along with my mother. We do not know how or why, but ever since then he has been a guardian of this forest, guiding travelers through its treacherous maze by using laughter and song, and leading our troops to those who need help. You are the only outsider who has ever been able to see him. He is hidden even from the great Galadriel's sight."

Kili gaped at him before staring at Legolas, unable to believe that the lively, warm, joyful elfling was just a spirit. He shakily reached out, fingers brushing the elfling's forehead, and he felt the life in the child's small body. To his shame, Kili felt tears running down his cheeks, dripping down his chin like rain. Legolas reached out, brushing away a tear, and poked the dwarf's cheeks into a smile.

"Don't be sad, mellon-nin. Don't cry. There there." Like the child he was and would always remain, he repeated words told to him by adults when he was upset, which only made Kili want to cry harder.

Shakily he reached up, grasping Legolas's tiny hands in his own, and forced himself to smile. "You... you are the bravest, best, most wonderful person I have ever met, Legolas. I am glad I'm your friend."

The elfling beamed back at him. "I'm glad Kili is my friend too!" He hesitated, glancing at the dwarves who were waiting outside the border. "Kili has to go now. Kili will come back right?"

"Yes." Kili said firmly. "I'll come back."

Intense silver-blue eyes stared at him. "Kili promise?"

The dwarf nodded. "I promise."

Legolas nodded, stepped back, then rushed forward to give the brown-haired dwarf a hug. Kili hugged him back, pressing his cheek to the little one's soft hair. They let go and Kili rose, walking out of the forest without looking back. But even as he joined his brother and the Company moved out, determination ignited in the dwarf's soul. He _would_ return, once Smaug had been defeated.

He had promised.

 **LOTRLOTRLOTR**

 **Translations:**

 **Ada: Daddy**

 **Mellon: friend**

 **Mellon-nin: my friend**

 **Aphad enni: Follow me.**

 **What if scenario: What if Legolas had been killed by the orcs with his mother?**

 **A/N: In the original version of the Company's trek through Mirkwood, the elves were going to attack the dwarves at the edge of the forest, only to stop when they spotted Esgal/Legolas/The Hidden Guardian. It was sort of a "The Guardian is trusting them so we will let them go" thing. I dropped that scenario, but it somehow transformed into a spirit-elfling!Legolas guiding Kili through the forest to his Ada, which made Thranduil release the dwarves. My brain makes leaps in ideas like that. :P**

 **Please review and tell me if you want more one shots!**


	2. A Promise Kept

**Disclaimer** **: I do not own** **Lord of the Rings** **or** **The Hobbit** **.**

 **A/N: A little explanation because a couple of people were confused: Last chapter took place in a world where the Witch-King did not need an elfling to turn into an assassin, so Legolas was killed when he was four alongside his mother. He became a Spirit that watched over travelers in Mirkwood, and only elves from Mirkwood could see him. Until Kili came along, of course. Hopefully that explains it more. Sorry for confusing you guys. :P**

 **This is a bit shorter than my normal but I hope you all enjoy anyway.**

 **LOTRLOTRLOTR**

 **Title** **: A Promise Kept**

 **Universe** **: ATR, AU. Specifically takes place in a world where Legolas died with his mother during the orc attack.**

 **Spoilers for ATR/TSW** **: None.**

 **Chapter you should read up to before reading this** **: None.**

 **Summary** **: Sequel to "Friend". Kili keeps a promise he made.**

 **Warning** **: Sad. Character death.**

 **A Promise Kept**

The trees were emerald. At least, the leaves were. Kili reached out and touched a low branch, tugging at it carefully so as not to break the fragile wood. Indeed, the leaves were a brilliant green, and the trunks were a healthy brown. However, they should not be those vibrant hues. Not in Mirkwood. Perhaps it was the sunlight that shone through the canopy that made the formally dull colors appear to be such beautiful shades.

The dwarf did not know, but saw little reason to dwell on such meaningless things. He had a purpose for being here, in the realm of the Elvenking. There was a promise he had to fulfill. Even though…

 _Fili was dead._

 _Kili had not seen his brother fall, but his sibling's agonized cry made the younger dwarf turn in time to see an orc rip its sword from Fili's chest. The blonde dwarf slumped, eyes going blank and crimson spraying from his wound, and Kili let loose a scream that was unheard over the rage of battle._

 _The brown-haired dwarf stumbled forward, still screaming as he mindlessly hacked through any foe foolish enough to get in his way. Orcs and other creatures toppled in his wake as Kili slashed and stabbed his way through hem like one who was possessed by a demon. Those on his side with enough knowledge to understand what had happened did their best to assist the dwarf in his journey, clearing a path to his fallen brother, but Kili did not notice. Smaug could have risen from the lake and burned the armies to ashes and the dwarf would not have seen it._

 _All that mattered was Fili. He had to get to Fili. He had to reach his brother. His sibling could not be dead— he could not be._

Breathing in slowly, Kili took the first step into the forest, hearing fallen leaves crunch softly beneath his boots. He barely made it another pace before the sound of a familiar giggle hit his ears. Something light and small struck him from behind, and tiny arms wrapped around him, holding him tight.

"Mellon nin!" Little Legolas squealed happily as he clung to the dwarf. "Kili came back!"

Kili felt his lips twitch into a smile and he turned, attempting to face the elfling. Legolas refused to release him, lifting his feet and giggling as the dwarf unintentionally spun him around in the air. The little elf was so light Kili barely felt his weight, and the dwarf had to double check to make sure Legolas had not been flung off of him. The elfling met his gaze and stuck his tongue out at the dwarf, emitting his musical chuckle all the while.

Openly grinning now, Kili twirled faster despite how silly it made him look and feel. He was a proud dwarf warrior who should be above such things, but the elfling had brought out the playfulness he thought might be lost, making his heart lighten despite recent events. Legolas laughter and excited squeals made the indignity worth it, and he found himself chortling along with the elfling. The dwarf stopped and put his hands on his hips as he frowned theatrically.

"It appears I have been captured by a hugging tree-leech." He pondered aloud in a purposely solemn tone. "Alas, how terrible! However will I play with Legolas if I cannot move properly?"

The elfling scrambled up onto his shoulder, leaning his head next to the dwarf's and pouting at him. "Not a tree-leech." He said pointedly. "I Legolas."

Kili chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Indeed you are. It's been a while, little one."

He pulled the elfling off his back, holding him in his arms. A shudder went through the dwarf, something which did not go unnoticed by the perceptive child of Thranduil. Legolas frowned and pressed their foreheads together, hands reaching up to play with the dwarf's hair.

 _After what seemed like hours, Kili reached Fili's side. Thorin was already there, fighting furiously with an enraged snarl on his face. Two orcs were bisected in one swing by the distraught uncle, his eyes glimmering with a pained madness that had nothing to do with cursed gold._

 _When he spotted Kili, the King Under the Mountain grabbed his nephew roughly, pulling him behind him. Thorin said something, but the words were unheard by the younger dwarf._

 _All Kili could do was stare numbly at his fallen brother, the sounds of battle becoming a distant hum as everything faded except Fili's bloodied, unmoving form._

It did not take long for the elfling to get the dwarf's hair into knots, Legolas's attempts at braiding Kili's hair involving leaves and twigs that he had picked up off the ground. The brown-haired dwarf set Legolas down in front of him and raked a hand through his messed hair, removing most of the twigs but leaving a few of the leaves.

"Do I look pretty now?" Kili asked seriously, and Legolas nodded empathetically.

The elfling wiggled with barely-contained happiness, bouncing from foot to foot in excitement. Without warning he rushed the dwarf, squeezing him as tightly as the little elf could. Kili peered down at Legolas, and the elfling looked back up at him with sparkling silver-blue eyes.

"Mellon nin came back." Legolas informed him softly, as if his friend's return was the most wonderful thing to ever happen to him.

 _Kili cradled Fili in his arms, head bowed and mind numb as the battle raged on around him. He should be fighting, killing, slaughtering those responsible for his brother's death, but all he could do was wail in unheard grief._

 _It was only his uncles' shocked grunt that brought him back to reality, and before he knew what he was doing, Kili rose, lunging for the orc that had stabbed Thorin. The dwarf beheaded the creature and stood defensively over his fallen King, blood thrumming through his veins with a mixture of terror and unyielding rage._

" _You won't take him too!" he screamed defiantly at the horde of foes around them._

 _Bellowing a challenge, the orcs lunged._

"Of course I did. I promised, didn't I?" Kili replied gently.

The elfling's tiny blonde head tipped and silver-blue eyes watched him hopefully. "Mellon nin stay?"

 _Kili managed to take down fifteen orcs before he was struck. The sight of the sword through his gut registered before the pain did, but the brunette dwarf took the head of the orc that stabbed him, fueled onward by pure determination and rage. Luckily, the orc released the blade instead of pulling it out, and so Kili continued to fight, all-too aware of the injured Thorin below him._

 _He just had to last until reinforcements arrived. He had to save his uncle. He could not fail._

 _Kili realized his wound hurt, but he both dismissed and clung to the pain. If he were in pain that meant he was alive. If he was alive that meant he was still fighting. If he was still fighting, he was still defending Thorin, his mentor, his uncle, his King._

 _It became harder to keep moving, keep fighting, as an unnatural exhaustion pulled at Kili's limbs, gently beckoning him towards sleep. The dwarf faltered, falling on top of his silent uncle, but he felt Thorin breathing. He curled over his King, protecting his body with his own as the orcs eagerly rushed forward, but before they could strike, a vengeful shout ripped through the chaotic air._

 _Through darkening vision, Kili saw two stout and one tall, golden figure ambush the orcs, tearing through them like claws through parchment. One of the shorter warriors knelt beside the fading prince, grasping his hand and saying words that Kili could not hear. He gradually realized that he was no longer in pain, unable to feel his comrade's desperate grip on his hand anymore._

 _But that was all right. Thorin had others to protect him now. Kili wanted to tell whoever was with him that he was fine, that he was unafraid, but the creeping blackness had overtaken everything else, leaving an empty silence._

 _Without the motivation to hold on any longer, Kili, son of Dis, let go._

Kili hesitated for a moment and then nodded. "Yes. Mellon nin will be staying for a while."

Legolas hugged him again; shockingly warm and bright even when compared to the emerald leaves and golden sunlight. The elfling did not release him for a long while, unable to understand the dwarf's situation but knowing deep down all the same. He took Kili's hand, pointing deeper into the woods, and gave him another joyful smile.

"This way, Mellon nin. This way. We'll go see Ada."

Kili's smile dimmed slightly but remained on his face. "Yes. Perhaps we will."

Together, the two friends went deeper into the forest, leaving no tracks in their wake.

 **LOTRLOTRLOTR**

 **A/N: Why do I do this? I wrote this one shot to take a break from The Shadow War's doomy gloomy-ness, but I end up writing character death! WTH? O_o**

 **Hope I didn't make you guys cry again.**

… **Oh who am I kidding? (hands out tissues)**

 **It took me a while to write this because I wasn't sure which route I wanted to do. Kili is dead? Kili is alive? Keep it ambiguous? I was going to keep it vague whether he was actually alive or not, but then I got the idea for the Battle of Five Armies flashbacks and, well… here's the final result.**

 **I considered having Kili survive anyway, but I realized that since this is technically an ATR AU and Legolas wasn't in the Battle of the Five Armies in this world, he wasn't there to save the royal dwarves. Thorin, Fili, and Kili would still die, just like in canon. Although maybe Thorin survived this timeline. IDK.**

 **I also decided that having Fili and Thorin die while Kili survived (leaving Kili alone and the next in line to be King Under the Mountain) would be too cruel.**

 **Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, and favorited. If you have requests for AUS, missing scenes, etc, please tell me in a review. Remember that I won't do requests that involve romance, rated M stuff, or new OCs that aren't already in ATR.**

 **Oh, and before you ask, I might not be able to update** **The Shadow War** **until the end of October. (The only reason this and my crossover are currently getting updated is because I had a bunch of chapters done before life got hectic.) I'll see if I can update before that, but no promises. I'll do my best. (Ugh I feel so baaaadddd about not updating… :'( )**

 **Please review!**


	3. Guardian

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own Lord of the Rings.**

 **A/N** **: Here I am with another one-shot. This one was a request by InkWizard. Enjoy!**

 **LOTRLOTRLOTR**

 **Title** **: Guardian**

 **Universe** **: ATR, missing scene**

 **Spoilers for ATR/TSW** **: None.**

 **Chapter you should read up to before reading this** **: "** **All That Remains** **Chapter Nineteen: Trust Me"**

 **Warning** **: Feels. :)**

 **Summary** **: Elrohir and Elladan play a prank. Glorfindel and Legolas bond. Requested by InkWizard.**

 **LOTRLOTRLOTR**

 **Guardian**

"This is perfection." Elladan proclaimed boldly. "This is a beautiful work of _art_."

Elrohir chuckled at his brother's declaration but silently agreed. The set up for their latest prank truly was impressive. Each barrel was so masterfully hidden in the lower corridors of their home that only an elf who walked through those halls every day might be able to see something was different.

Luckily for the twin elves, their target did not live in Rivendell, and would be unable to sense something was amiss until it was too late. At least, Elrohir hoped that Esgal would remain oblivious. If their prank failed to catch the assassin off guard, hours of hard work would be for naught.

"We're going to succeed this time." Elladan said fervently. "He'll finally fall into our trap. He may have evaded us last time— and the time before that— but this time we will win the battle!"

The sound of a creaking door made the twins freeze and they dashed to the end of the hall, grabbing the soul who had stumbled upon them and shoving him back out the door. Aragorn wobbled slightly— surprised by the ambush— but regained his footing without toppling over. Silver eyes flicked between the twins— who smiled sweetly and innocently— and closed in annoyance.

"What are you doing?" Aragorn asked flatly. He raised a hand before they could respond. "Do not try to deny it. You aren't as good at pretending to be innocent as you believe you are."

Elladan dropped the clueless look he had adopted and smirked. "We've set up a little surprise for our friendly assassin."

Aragorn carefully crept forward into the hall, peering around. His eyebrows rose. "That is actually rather impressive." He gave a sniff and frowned. "Is that what I think it is?"

Elladan noticed the disapproval in his voice and was quick to defend their creation. "Don't fret, Estel. It is just enough to disorient him a little, nothing more."

The Ranger still looked uncertain. "I am beginning to think this is unwise..."

The twins glanced at each other and went to their brother's sides, simultaneously putting their arms around his shoulders. Aragorn twitched.

"Trust us, Estel. It is just a harmless prank." Elrohir said. "It may look like a bit much but our enemy tends to avoid everything we try. We need every advantage we can get."

"We just want to make sure he can't avoid our prank this time." Elladan added. "Besides, he knows that we are at war right now. It's only fair that we win at least _one_ battle."

Aragorn rolled his eyes and shrugged out of their grasp. "I suppose it is none of my business. Just make sure to—"

"Actually, since you are here we could use your help." Elladan interrupted. "He will suspect something if we summon him here. If _you_ bring him here, however…"

The Ranger looked between two identical, hopeful faces and sighed. "All right. I'll assist you."

LOTRLOTRLOTR

Legolas let his gaze roam over the dimly-lit hallway he and Aragorn were walking down. The Ranger kept pace with him, not quite leading the way, and noticed the assassin's scrutiny.

"Have you been down here before?" he asked curiously.

Legolas shrugged. "Once or twice. I believe it was back before I revealed myself to anyone other than Glorfindel."

"I still cannot believe you were able to sneak around here for so many years without being noticed." Aragorn muttered.

"Well, that is what I was trained to do." Legolas pointed out with a small twitch of his lips. "If I were unable to move about unknown locations without my enemy seeing, I would be a terrible assassin."

"I suppose that makes sense." Aragorn said thoughtfully. He hesitated, the briefest flash of uncertainty crossing his features.

"Is something wrong?" Legolas asked immediately.

He went to scan for threats but stopped himself. He was in Rivendell, one of the safest places in Middle-Earth. There would be no enemies here.

Aragorn shook himself. "It is nothing. I was just thinking about how I used to be afraid to go down here alone when I was young."

Legolas chuckled. "Are you saying that Little Hope was afraid of the dark?"

"Of course not." The Ranger sniffed. He gestured towards a door to their right. "The storage cellar is here."

"I'll go first and make sure there are no orcs coming to get you, Hope." Legolas teased. He walked through the door, turning back slightly. "See? There is nothing—"

Something blasted into his face. Legolas gasped, inhaling, and a slightly spicy substance entered his lungs. He coughed, wincing as his eyes blurred, and something splashed over his head and shoulders.

 _Poisonattacked_ _ **fight**_ _._

Legolas hurriedly discarded his cloak before the poison could seep through the fabric. The substance on his hair did not yet burn, but his lungs stung slightly as did his eyes. It made everything blurry but there was no pain— not yet— but he needed to locate the enemy, locate the source and eliminate it.

There.

Two figures were coming towards him and the green-cloaked, dark-haired man behind him.

 _Ciaran?_

Eyes watering, lungs stinging, Legolas pushed his confusion aside. He had located the enemy.

He attacked.

The assassin whipped out his knives as he ran at the blurry figures, one of whom gave a terrified scream. The thin line— rope?— in his hand pulled taut and Legolas heard the sound of something shifting behind him. Where Ciaran was.

Time slowed to a crawl and Legolas threw one of his daggers at his enemy, turning and dashing back towards Ciaran as fast as he could. He could just barely see something that glinted gold and brown falling towards his mentor, who wasn't moving out of the way _why wasn't he dodging?_

Legolas did not waste any time questioning Ciaran's delayed response. He threw his body over his father's, takin the brunt of the liquid. It slowly dripped down his clothes and he carefully arranged himself around Ciaran's body, curling up in a way that the poison would not hit his mentor. A low gasp below him made him look at Ciaran in alarm, terrified that the substance had reached him, and violet eyes met silver.

Silver eyes.

Not hazel.

 _Estel._

Legolas' vision cleared. His heartbeat slowed. The instinct to fight and survive fled and awareness returned in its place. He slowly looked at Elrohir and Elladan, and saw the younger twin had his back pressed to the wall.

The assassin's dagger was stuck to the hilt in the stone, aligned with a shallow cut in Elrohir's cheek.

For a long pause, no one moved.

Then Legolas rose to his feet. He looked at his honey-covered cloak, at the silent twins, at the wide-eyed Aragorn, at his bloody dagger. He tried to speak, but the words clogged in his throat. Instead he uttered a small, wheezing sound. From beneath him, Aragorn's arm twitched, reaching for the assassin.

"Es—"

The assassin was out the door. He did not recall getting up or moving. One moment he was next to Aragorn, the next he was fleeing up the stairs and through the halls, pushing past a familiar golden-haired elf as he raced to get away. He thought he heard his name being called but he did not stop to acknowledge the speaker. He just ran ran _ran_.

Ran away from the scene of the prank.

Ran away from the twins and Aragorn.

Ran away from the knife that had drawn his friend's blood.

 _I hurt my friend._

Despite being far away from the substance that had blinded him, his sight refused to clear.

LOTRLOTRLOTR

Aragorn was still on the floor when Glorfindel materialized in the doorway. He took one look at the scene before him— Elrohir's wound, Elladan's shock, Aragorn surrounded by honey but completely clean, the knife in the stone— and his blue eyes hardened. He strode into the hallway, stopping beside Elrohir and ripping Esgal's knife from the wall. The Balrog-Slayer lifted it to his eyelevel and traced the splotch of red on the blade. Glorfindel lowered the dagger and touched Elrohir's cheek, studying the mark left by the knife in his hands. Then, with the serenity of a cloud that was about to yield thunder, he spoke.

"What. Happened."

To call his words a question would be untruthful. Glorfindel was not asking for a response. He was _demanding_ one. There was no offer to refrain from answering, because the Balrog-Slayer wanted an answer, and he wanted one _now_.

It was Elladan who found his voice to speak. "We made a mistake."

Blue eyes pinned him with such intensity that Aragorn was surprised he did not sink into the earth. Luckily, the twin continued without further prompting from the stone-faced Glorfindel.

"We wanted to prank Esgal so we set up barrels full of honey and ale in the hall. All we had to do was pull a few strings and they would dump on him. We… We also built a small contraption to blow cinnamon in his face when he opened the door. We hoped that would make it so he would not see us coming…"

"I think he did not see you coming, indeed." Glorfindel said coolly. "Instead he believed that he was being _attacked_."

Elladan lowered his head. Despite his small part in the prank, Aragorn's stomach twisted into knots of guilt. Glorfindel reached over and pulled a spare bandage from the Ranger's pocket, pressing it against Elrohir's cheek. When he spoke again, his voice was calmer.

"I am not angry with you. Nor am I disappointed. I am merely upset that something like this happened. Your prank should have been harmless. If you had not used the cinnamon it might have been. But you did, and it worked. It startled and confused Esgal enough that he could not tell who had 'ambushed' him and relied on his instincts to survive."

Glorfindel gently dabbed at Elrohir's wound. "Esgal does not trust easily. By nature or nurture he is reserved and careful even around those that are his closest friends. Theoretically, he should have sensed you two hiding long before he walked through the door. He did not, which means he felt safe enough here to _lower his guard_ and not constantly scan his surroundings for threats. Except when he did that, he was attacked. Do you understand what I am saying?"

The twisting sensation in Aragorn's stomach crept into his throat, making it feel like a hand was wrapped around his jugular. The Balrog-Slayer grabbed Elrohir's hand, guiding it so he could hold the bandage to his wound, and stood up.

"Go to your father to get that stitched up. I need to find Esgal."

Aragorn got to his feet. "I'll go—"

"No." Glorfindel said shortly. "I think it would be best if I speak to him alone."

He looked at each of them and opened his mouth, but closed it without saying anything. Instead he turned on his heel and left them in the hall, the evidence of their mistake all around them.

LOTRLOTRLOTR

Legolas sat in a tall oak tree with his knees pulled up to his chest. A branch poked and prodded at his head in a way similar to a hand stroking his hair, but the elf could not find amusement in the tree's awkward attempt to comfort him. He heard the rustles and whispers of the forest and curled up a little tighter, laying his head on his knees. He had half a mind to tell the trees to force Glorfindel to go away, but could not bring himself to potentially harm another friend.

The Balrog-Slayer's ascent into the treetops was not the most graceful thing but it was much better than his normal climbing skills. Legolas suspected that the oak tree had purposely assisted Glorfindel in reaching the silent assassin. The golden-haired elf settled next to Legolas, legs swinging in the open air, and for a time the two merely sat there in silence, listening to the whispers of the wind through the leaves.

"It was not your—"

"Stop." Legolas interrupted before the Balrog-Slayer could finish. "Do not claim it was not my fault."

He felt blue eyes on him but did not raise his head to meet them. "Do you expect me to lie then?" Glorfindel asked.

"What is a _lie_?" Legolas snapped. He did not mean to shout and instantly regretted it. The assassin clenched his teeth, struggling to rein his emotions back under his control, and forced a neutral mask into place. "I apologize."

"Apology _unneeded_." Glorfindel emphasized. "What happened is no one's fault. Things simply went out of control in ways no one could have predicted. The twins should have known better than to compromise your senses, yes, but how you reacted is to be expected."

Legolas withheld a scoff. "What is 'expected' is for the recipient of a prank to be startled, not try to _murder_ the prankster."

"You thought you'd been attacked." Glorfindel murmured softly. "I saw your cloak on the ground. You thought poison had been dumped on you, did you not?"

"A paranoid leap in logic, I assure you." Legolas said stiffly. "Who else but me would feel a liquid fall on them and assume it was something to kill them?"

"Who else but you has been trained to anticipate such situations since a young age?" Glorfindel countered.

Legolas's careful control broke just a little. "Stop— _Stop_ that."

Blue eyes studied him. "Stop what?"

"Stop pretending this is fine!" Legolas exploded. "I was so caught up in my training that I did not recognize my friends and because of that I hurt Elrohir! All he did was try to prank me and I _threw a knife at him_ in response. _I almost killed him!_ " His body lurched and he clenched his teeth, trying to stop his shoulders from shaking. "I almost _killed him_ …"

If the Balrog-Slayer was shocked by his rage and sorrow, he did not show it. "You may have thrown that weapon towards him but you did not do so with the intent to kill. I know how precise you are, Esgal. If you believed the twins to be enemies with all your heart, you would not have missed. Even when you were terrified, you recognized who they were."

Legolas looked down with burning eyes, wishing he had his hood to hide his face in. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Yes." Glorfindel said firmly. "I know what you are thinking, Esgal. So heed my words: You are not a killer. You are not a monster. You followed your instincts because those instincts let you survive for so long, but even when caught in the past you showed restraint and empathy. You tried to protect Estel, did you not?"

"I thought he was Ciaran." Legolas whispered into his knees. "I was… so surprised I lost track of when and where I was…"

Warm arms wrapped around him and he flinched, entire body locking. Glorfindel did not freeze or pull away, instead gripping the assassin just a little bit tighter. He was such a fool. Had he not learned how dangerous it was to be near Legolas when he was startled?

"You still protected him." The Balrog-Slayer said quietly. "You could have chosen to pursue your 'attackers' but instead you fell back to defend your friend. That is who you are, Esgal. You are not an aggressor or bloodthirsty killer. You are a guardian."

Legolas's laugh came out a little wobbly. "Like in those stories you told Estel?"

"Indeed." Glorfindel said gravely, a twinkle in his eye. He grew solemn. "Just like you did not retaliate with malicious intent, neither did the twins do this out of malice. You can trust them, Esgal. They will not be angry with you, and I am certain they will never do something like this again."

He held out the cleaned dagger Legolas had thrown. The assassin knew what words the Balrog-Slayer did not voice. _"You are safe here. You can trust us all."_

"I know." He said and took the dagger, returning it to its sheath.

Glorfindel smiled. "Good. Would you like to head back?" _"Are you comfortable enough to go back?"_

"Yes." Legolas said briefly.

He followed Glorfindel out of the tree, which gave him one final attempted pat on the head. It was more like a smack but it was the thought that counted. The assassin lingered behind the Balrog-Slayer the entire way back to Rivendell, eyes darting about and ears alert every step of the way.

 _I'm being foolish. I am safe here. There is no danger. I do not need to be so observant._

He could not stop searching.

Because of his vigilance, he sensed the twins long before he saw them. They and Aragorn stood at the end of the bridge that led to the elven halls, with the elder twin pacing back and forth across the stone. Three sets of eyes fell on the two returning elves and the twins rushed forward.

"Esgal, we're so sorry—"

"We didn't know that would happen—"

"In hindsight, the cinnamon was a really foolish idea—"

"We should have known better—"

"It was our fault—"

"We promise to never do it again!"

Legolas raised a hand to stop the stream of apologies. "It is all right. None of that was anyone's fault. Things simply got out of control."

"We're still sorry." Elrohir said quickly. "Our pride blinded us to the faults in our plans. We didn't mean to scare you."

Legolas shifted his weight, desiring to say they need not apologize, but one glance at Glorfindel made him change his response. "I am sorry as well. It was not my intention to react so badly and harm you."

Elrohir gave a small snort. "We dropped something on you unexpectedly. How could you intentionally do anything? Besides, it's not like I'm injured that badly. It will not even scar."

Legolas hesitated, then took a gamble. "If it did you could claim it was a scar received in battle." He kept his tone and face purposely blank.

Elrohir gave a startled chuckle. "I could, couldn't I? Tell me, does it make me look strong and intimidating?" He flipped his hair away from his face and posed.

"No one can look intimidating with those bandages on. Your cheek looks puffy." Elladan said dryly.

Elrohir gave him an affronted look. "Rude." His gaze flicked back to Legolas and his eyes softened. "We truly are sorry, mellon-nin. It will not happen again."

"Good." Legolas nodded once.

"So does that mean your prank war is over?" Aragorn asked hopefully. "I'm rather tired of getting caught in the crossfire."

"You mean you're tired of getting caught in the pranks that miss me." Legolas said idly. "And no, no it is _not_ over."

Three sets of eyes stared at him warily.

"What do you mean?" Elladan asked hesitantly.

The assassin smiled sweetly and walked into Rivendell without responding.

Behind him, he heard Elladan's panicked voice. "Glorfindel, what did he mean? Did he set up something somewhere? Am I going to wake up in a dress or with beetles in my hair again? Glorfindel, _what did he do?!_ "

Aragorn caught up to Legolas and leaned in close to speak in his ear. "You do not have a prank for them anywhere, do you?"

"No, I don't." Legolas said primly. "But _they_ don't know that."

Even though their prank had not worked in the way they had intended, the twins had caught the assassin in it and had nearly gotten Aragorn as well. Legolas could not let that go. He would have his revenge and the twins knew it. But that was the plan. He wondered how long Elrohir and Elladan would live in fear of every nook and cranny before they realized they'd been duped. He hoped he would be there to see the comprehension on their faces.

For what better revenge was there than doing nothing to them at all?

 **LOTRLOTRLOTR**

 **A/N: Request by InkWizard: "The twins try to play a prank on Esgal a few years after they meet him and he misunderstands/thinks it's an attack and reacts badly."**

 **Sorry it took so long but I finally fulfilled this request. I feel like a bit of a jerk for giving such an innocent summary at the top but I wasn't about to spoil the chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoyed it. :)**


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